1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surface coverings of the type generally found on bathroom and kitchen countertops. More particularly, the invention relates to a kit for application of a plurality of components to a corestock or ABS layer resulting in an assembly having the appearance of a seamless unitary structure. The plurality of components includes one or more of an edge profile strip, a countertop, a backsplash, and a T-cap.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Surface tops, particularly kitchen countertops are found in virtually every residence in the country. Many restaurants and other food dispensing establishments also employ countertops as a functional part of a kitchen area or a serving area. Necessary characteristics of any kitchen countertop include a flat top surface which is resistant to food stains, impervious to liquid, resistant to scratches and other surface marrings, and is readily cleaned. Many of these same characteristics are required in other surface tops such as bathroom vanity tops, table tops, and work bench tops. Any surface top must also be attractive to be marketable. Attractiveness of a surface top in large part results from a pleasing color or surface pattern. However, unique edge treatments, provision of a backsplash, and a seamless one piece appearance are also important.
Surface tops utilizing liquid impervious laminates are very prevalent. The surface tops comprise a rigid corestock and the laminate as a relatively thin top layer. The laminate may comprise resin impregnated paper sheets which have been subjected to pressure and heat to form a hardened rigid sheet product. The laminates can be made in any color and can have any imaginable pattern printed onto its surface. While relatively thin, for example, up to about 50 mils in thickness, the laminates have all the characteristics needed in a surface top They are readily cut to size and adhered to the corestock. Edge moldings are often used with the laminate to finish the surface top. The edge moldings, though, are limited in available shapes and tend to create a noticeable seam where they abut against the laminate surface top.
More recently there has been developed counter and vanity tops which are made by a casting process. Basically, a mold having the shape and size of a surface top is made and liquid resin cast into it When set, a surface top is created which is durable and attractive. It can be transported and secured to base cabinets in the kitchen or bathroom. A side molding is adhered to the flat surface or the flat surface edge can be routed to a desired shape. However, the surface top is difficult to install because of its weight. Ideally, it is formed in the shop; this also is a drawback because of a need to transport it.
There is still a need for an improved surface top which has all the physical characteristics that the home owner and business proprietor have come to expect. Additionally, any such product must be attractive and readily installed. In accord with this need, there has now been developed an edge molding and surface top assembly which is readily installed and is amenable to varied design shapes. The resultant assembly is durable, resistant to food stains, liquid spills, accidental bumps and marrings, and possesses a long lasting attractiveness.
The patent literature is representative of the developments in this industry and a number of pertinent patents will now be reviewed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,505 to Nichols discloses a panel or slab construction which includes a fiber core glued between two facing sheets of thin metal and having edges of the core spaced inwardly of the slab from the associated edges of the metal facing sheets thereby defining a recess. A decorative molding member having a predetermined shaped edge extends into the recess and is fixed to the edges of the metal sheets thereby concealing the adjacent edges of the core. At least one side of the molding is stepped approximately the thickness of the metal sheet such that the sheet overlies the molding with its exposed surface forming a flush transition with the surface of the shaped molding edge. A seamless veneer may thereby be formed and fixed to the steel facing sheet and associated molding as a single piece to finish the panel in a manner simulating the appearance of a solid slab.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,864 to Kemp, a nosing assembly is provided for a desk work surface having a front end portion and comprises a lower block attached to the underside of the desk work surface, the lower block having a first exterior surface. A nosing is attached to the first exterior surface, and substantially surrounds and conforms to the first exterior surface. The desk work surface is thereby provided with a nosing to protect the desk work surface and people in its vicinity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,108 discloses an edge molding shaped to mount on a corestock in a cooperative relationship with a substantially flat surface top to form a two piece surface top assembly which is easy to install yet appears to be seamless. The edge molding has a facing wall, an integral first ledge and an integral second ledge, each extending at substantially right angles from the facing wall. An inside face of the facing wall has at least one longitudinally running excess adhesive flow-out groove and the inside faces of the ledges have longitudinally running gripper ridges. The second ledge preferably also has a drip channel on its outside face to interrupt the flow of spilled liquid. The edge molding and surface top are positioned onto the corestock and adhesively secured thereto. An edge area where the surface top overlaps the edge molding is capable of being routed to a desired shape.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,575 to Soifer, the bumper of that invention is utilized in conjunction with a corner edge of a table, piece of furniture, counter or similar article. The bumper includes a corner edge cover having wall segments overlaid on the corner sidewalls. The cover wall segments are joined to form an angle which corresponds to the geometric configuration of the underlying corner structure. A resilient shield wall includes a substantially semi-cylindrical wall segment, spaced away from the corner edge cover by an optimized stand-off distance, and tangentially extending wall segments bridging opposing sides of the arcuate wall segment with outer regions of the cover wall segments. The corner edge cover and the shield wall are integral and are geometrically configured to optimally absorb energy of an impact through deformation of the shield wall and distribution of the impact load over the cover wall segments and top plate. A top plate is integrally connected to the top edges of the corner wall segments to enhance the energy absorption capabilities of the bumper and provide a convenient surface for removably mounting the bumper to the corner structure with double-backed adhesive film.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,910, an extruded T-shaped edge finishing strip has its tongue divided by a series of narrow abutting fingers of oblong section arranged in parallel and diagonally with their centers spaced along the original line of junction between the tongue and the face of the strip. Corresponding ends of the fingers are offset relative to the other ends of the appropriate adjacent fingers to enable the fingers to slide relative to each other or to spread apart as the face is bent as required by the curvature of the edge to be finished by the strip. Apparatus for thus modifying the tongues of such strips has a flat support having a channel extending lengthwise thereof and dimensioned to receive the tongue of the strip with the undersurface of the face resting on the support. The channel passes between two gears having their upper faces substantially flush with the support, one gear a driving gear and the other one an idler, and the gears are spaced so that the tongue is such a force fit therein that the fingers are formed by the distortion of the tongues by the coaction of the gears.
It was with knowledge of the foregoing that the present invention has been conceived and is now reduced to practice.